Kicking off the year in style comes Capcom's classic Monster Hunter series, this time rebuilt from the ground up for modern console hardware. How does it fare? Well, we sent Adrian Haas deep into the Ancient Forest with nothing but his wits and the sounds of giant creatures to keep him company. Several hours later and he's dispatched of several high profile monsters. And cooked up a mean feast to boot.

Monster Hunter World is the latest title in the up until now Super Popular Happy Fun Time in Japan Monster Hunter series. The core gameplay of looting monster parts and then using them for crafting new gear after a successful hunt remains intact. But, certain aspects such as tracking and even the aforementioned crafting have been revamped and somewhat simplified. To be more accessible to a wider (read: Western) audience. The separate and isolated maps of old are also gone, replaced by considerably larger interconnected areas. Entirely appropriate and deserving of the title World. A massive improvement that results in zero loading times as you roam the forests and deserts seeking your prey.